Residents in Harare’s high-density suburb of Mbare are facing a nightmarish sanitation crisis. Raw sewage overflows from dilapidated toilets, flooding homes and creating a breeding ground for disease. The stench fills the air, and residents navigate the filth just to go about their daily lives.
Years of Unfulfilled Promises
This crisis is a direct result of years of neglect by the Zimbabwean government. President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has repeatedly promised to improve social services, particularly in urban areas. However, residents of Matererini flats, like many others across Harare, say they have seen little progress.
Rhoda Dongo, a resident, paints a grim picture of their daily ordeal. “The toilets are unusable,” she explains. “Flushing only forces sewage back out, flooding the hallways and rooms near the toilets. The main pipes are all burst, and raw sewage is everywhere, even where we stand right now.”
Dongo highlights the lack of response from authorities. “We’ve pleaded with city workers, but they claim they aren’t getting paid and can’t fix anything. We’re forced to become our own plumbers just to have a semblance of livability.”
The Burden of a Broken System
The consequences of this broken system are severe. With blocked toilets and a lack of running water, a single toilet serves over 1,000 residents in some blocks. This creates long lines, particularly in the mornings, and forces some families to bathe using buckets within their cramped living quarters.
The dire sanitary conditions pose a significant health risk. Open defecation is becoming more common, especially among children who are unaware of the dangers. The stagnant sewage creates a breeding ground for diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. Mbare already has a history of outbreaks of these diseases, and the current situation raises serious concerns.
The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) is taking action. They are threatening legal action to compel the city to address the sanitation crisis. “The situation in Matererini is inhumane,” said CHRA Director, Reuben Akili. “This cannot be tolerated any longer.”
Harare Mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume, has responded by sending a team to investigate the situation. However, residents remain skeptical after years of empty promises. “We’ve heard this before,” said Mrs. Magonyo, another resident who cleans up raw sewage with buckets and shovels. “The city cleaners come and leave without addressing the problem. They claim they aren’t paid, and frankly, the stench is unbearable.”
A Community in Hope, But Time is Running Out
The residents of Matererini flats cling to the hope that their decades-long struggle will finally be addressed. “We’ve lived like this for far too long,” Dongo said. “We don’t even know what proper hygiene means anymore. We plead with the authorities to solve these problems for the sake of ourselves and our children.”
The situation in Harare highlights the urgent need for the Zimbabwean government to prioritize basic sanitation infrastructure and resident well-being. Without immediate action, the consequences could be devastating.
Source: New Zimbabwe
